Monday, September 14, 2009

For more points of view: Follow the photography of some students in Paris

A photo I took today about points of view

I thought I'd point you to my "byuinparis" blog where my 28 students have just received their first photo assignment. Each week we will be studying a photographer for inspiration and then the students will post a photo essay (or a single photo this week) on the blog.

The students represent a variety of majors that have nothing to do with photography and most of them are working with point-and-shoot cameras. My goal is to help them learn to appreciate the work of important photographers and to use that knowledge to take better photos here in Paris.

Too many tourists go home with exactly the same photos (Here's me in front of the Eiffel Tower. Here's me pretending to hold the Eiffel Tower in my hands. Here's me in front of Notre Dame. etc.) Wouldn't it be great if more people thought about expressing their unique thoughts and reactions to what they see? I'm trying to keep realistic expectations, but I hope to see photos that make me understand my students unique points of view.

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comments:

"Too many tourists go home with exactly the same photos" - So true and so... well.... painful. One the most important rules I follow while enjoying a foreigner city is while in familiar location is to try and avoid the obvious. It's not easy, but way more rewarding than just taking 'another' shot!By the way, a good photo exercise to avoid such "obvious traps" is something closer to home - Try to take photos of your family (banal and regular to 'you' environment') in a way that will interest someone who is not familiar with you.

About Me

I am a father of three, a professor, a photographer, a distractable dilettante, an unrepentant but well-intentioned maverick, an idea man who thinks when he should be sleeping, and a people person who can't seem to remember anyone's name.

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Feel free to use any of my photos from takeoutphoto (but not those of my guests) for any purpose that is not commercial in nature (such as your blog) as long as you show respect and link back to my site.